Healthy Start Dentist Las Vegas, NV
It is hard to know what to do when your child struggles with sleep apnea. The HealthyStart™ System is a device that children wear at night to help them breathe by aligning their upper and lower jaw in a manner that maximizes airflow and supports proper facial development. Sleep dentistry is an approach to help children overcome sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea related to oral health and airway development.
Early dental interventions that support healthy sleep habits are available at Hybrid Dental in Las Vegas and the surrounding area. We guide your family through total health dentistry. Our team offers a range of services, including the HealthyStart System. Call us at (702) 628-5807 to learn more.
Why Healthy Start
HealthyStart is a form of complete health dentistry focused on treating overall health through oral health. Many people are surprised to learn that oral health is linked with other systemic conditions, including sleep apnea. However, an effective sleep dentist must be intimately aware of the oral-systemic link. This is especially true for children, as early intervention is critical in catching many oral and overall health issues before they get the chance to worsen.
Unlike traditional pediatric dentistry, which takes a more aggressive, oppositional approach, the HealthyStart System works with patients' natural tooth eruption patterns. It achieves this via pliable, removable devices that are custom-made for each patient's individual needs and comfort. These devices gently guide the erupting teeth into proper alignment. If necessary, they may also help correct the growth and alignment of the lower jaw by expanding the patient's arches. By making these early corrections, children can avoid certain health problems later on.
“…early intervention is key in catching many oral and overall health issues before they get the chance to worsen.”
Sleep-Related Issues
Dental care providers are often the first to recognize signs of sleep disorders in children. Improper positioning of teeth can cause sleep-disordered breathing because children have smaller, close-together baby teeth and narrower dental arches that may contribute to underdeveloped airways. Sleep-disordered breathing lowers a child's oxygen levels and raises their heart rate and blood pressure
Temporomandibular jaw (TMJ) disorders in children are also associated with sleep apnea. A damaged temporomandibular joint can disrupt airway development, and if left untreated, the airway may narrow over time. HealthyStart can be used to treat pediatric sleep-related dental issues by moving the upper and lower jaws forward, opening the airway to maximize airflow during facial growth and airway development.
“Improper positioning of teeth can cause sleep-disordered breathing.”
Orthodontics and Sleep Apnea
Dentists are often the first to recognize the signs of obstructive sleep apnea in children, as skeletal and soft tissue growth both affect the size and shape of the upper airway. Tonsil size can also be a telltale indicator of sleep apnea. As the airway's skeletal boundaries expand, the upper airway's major lymphatic tissues (the adenoids and tonsils) shrink. If the skeletal boundaries are abnormal, then orthodontics (also known as braces) may become necessary.
However, traditional braces can be invasive and expensive — and it is not uncommon for some orthodontists to mistakenly tell parents that it is too early for their children to undergo treatment. The HealthyStart System is a non-invasive, natural alternative to straightening teeth and correcting skeletal irregularities. It is also, on average, almost half the cost of traditional braces. A HealthyStart dentist can fit a child for custom-made orthodontic devices to gently but permanently guide the teeth into place, eliminating the possibility of any unnecessary dental or sleep issues in the future.
“Dentists are often the first to recognize the signs of obstructive sleep apnea in children, as skeletal and soft tissue growth both affect the size and shape of the upper airway.”
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Learning Disabilities and Developmental Delays
Sleep is essential for the growth and development of young children—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Children who experience sleeping disorders do not get enough sleep, and studies have shown that children with a shorter sleep duration may have significant cognitive deficits. For example, sleep apnea in young children correlates with attention, memory, and language problems.
Severe sleep apnea may harm a child's level of intelligence and functioning, but the good news is that sleep apnea is very treatable in children. Start by focusing on oral care. A complete health dentist can recommend treatments to help your child breathe better at night.
“Sleep is essential for the growth and development of children.”
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. What is HealthyStart dentistry?
Q. How can orthodontics treat sleep apnea?
Q. How does dental health impact sleep issues in children?
Q. How does sleep apnea affect my child’s development?
People Also Ask
Q. What is the importance of a healthy mouth baseline?
Q. Are oral conditions genetic or a result of environmental factors?
Q. What services are offered by a general dentist?
Q. What are some conditions that a complete health dentist can diagnose?
How Parents Can Help
Though nothing can replace the counsel of an experienced HealthyStart sleep dentist, there are many things parents can do to help improve their child's sleeping habits. For starters, a child's sleeping environment should be as comfortable and free from distractions as possible. Avoid screen time or any upsetting material within two hours of bedtime. Beds should be reserved for sleeping. Children should not be allowed to watch television, reading, or playing video games while in bed.
Adding soothing sounds into a child's bedtime routine may also help them relax. If this is too much stimulation, reducing noise may be a better option. Parents should also try to get their children used to the dark since light can further disrupt the sleeping environment. Cooler room temperatures can also aid sleep, as can warm baths. Some people also find that aromatherapy helps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is sleep dentistry?
A. Sleep dentistry is an approach to resolving sleep-related problems through oral health approaches. Sleep dentistry often employs oral appliances or CPAP machines to correct disordered breathing during sleep. A complete health dentist will focus on the mouth structure and how it impacts breathing.
Q. How can oral health correct sleep apnea?
A. Children have narrower dental arches and smaller teeth that are closer together. That can restrict the development of your child's airways. By guiding the positioning and growth of your child's teeth as they come in and encouraging the forward alignment of their upper and lower jaws, you can maximize airflow and support airway development. Systems like HealthyStart support approaches to airway dentistry to help children correct sleep-disordered breathing.
Q. How does sleep affect my child?
A. Sleep is essential to help children grow and develop. Lack of sleep impairs children physically, mentally and emotionally. Studies show that children with severe sleep apnea, for example, have been associated with lower intelligence and testing scores and report deficits related to attention, memory, and language.
Q. How can I help my child get better sleep?
A. At home, parents should create a comfortable, cool, distraction-free sleeping environment for their children. Avoid screen time and other stimulating activities close to bedtime. Monitor your child's sleeping patterns and discuss your concerns with a total health dentist. Early intervention not only helps reduce your child's risk of needing braces in the future but can help gently straighten and position your child's teeth as they grow to support airway capacity.
Q. How do I find a sleep dentist for my child?
A. Besides recommendations from friends and family members, your child's pediatrician is a good source for recommendations. Doing an internet search of sleep dentists in your area is also a great place to start. You can often find several online reviews for a practitioner before making an appointment.
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Dental Terminology
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If you live in the Las Vegas area, call 702-628-5807 for an appointment in our Las Vegas office.
Helpful Related Links
- American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Clinical Terms. 2024
About our business and website security
- Hybrid Dental was established in 2012.
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- We serve patients from the following cities: Las Vegas, Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Spring Valley, Paradise, Henderson, Centennial Hills, Mt Charleston, Enterprise and Pahrump
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